BIG WEEK AT THE CRTC: The Canadian Radio-television and
Telecommunications Commission issued a flurry of important
decisions and notices this week.

TARIFF DECISIONS TO BE FAST-TRACKED: CRTC Circular 2005-6
announces procedures to reduce the time required to rule on
retail tariff filings by the major incumbent telcos. The
Commission says that within ten days of a filing it will
reject the application, or give it interim approval, or begin
a process aiming, in most cases, at a decision within 45
business days of the filing.

www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Circulars/2005/ct2005-6.htm

** The new procedures are similar to those proposed by Bell
Canada last November (see Telecom Update #457) except that
there is no provision for automatic approvals.

** The Commission has re-introduced the service standards for
tariff applications it put in place three years ago but
subsequently suspended. (See Telecom Update #346)

TELCO PROMOTIONS OKAYED, WITH CONDITIONS: CRTC Telecom
Decision 2005-25 lifts the 2003 moratorium on promotions for
incumbent telcos' local services. Promotional rates must
cover costs and must be available to all customers in a given
rate band, not just competitors' customers. A promotion can
last only six months, and must not lock customers in past
that period.

www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Decisions/2005/dt2005-25.htm

DEBATE BEGINS ON LOCAL SERVICE DEREGULATION: CRTC Telecom
Public Notice 2005-2 opens a proceeding to determine criteria
for deregulating the incumbent telcos' retail local services.
Various filings will take place between May and September,
followed by a public consultation on September 26-29. A
decision is expected in spring 2006. To comment, notify the
Commission by May 4.

** Aliant's April 2004 application for local service
forbearance (see Telecom Update #428) will be dealt with
in this proceeding.

www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Notices/2005/pt2005-2.htm

CRTC BACKS OFF FLOOR PRICE CHANGES: CRTC Telecom Decision 2005-27
eliminates many of the changes to floor prices for incumbent telco
services that were initially proposed by the Commission in 2003 (see
Telecom Update #405). In particular, the rules are based on Phase II
costing, not retail rates. The new rules are not retroactive and will
not affect existing customer contracts.

** Rates for standalone or bundled services must include the
tariffed rates for any "essential/near-essential" services
provided to competitors, and for any residential local
services included in a bundle. The lowest term or volume
rate must cover costs. Targeted pricing that would de-
average rates within a given rate band is not permitted.

www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Decisions/2005/dt2005-27.htm

GOVERNMENT AMENDS DO-NOT-CALL BILL: The federal government has
introduced amendments to its bill to set up a national do-not-call
registry for telemarketers. The changes would exempt calls to
established customers and clients, and from charities where certain
conditions are met. They would also allow consumers to accept calls
from charities while blocking commercial telemarketing.

** The amendments would also require a review of the Do-Not-
Call List after five years.

TELUS-TWU WAR ESCALATES: Both the Canada Industrial Relations
Board and the Federal Court of Appeal have refused to issue
orders blocking Telus from implementing "lockout" measures
against the Telecommunications Workers Union. The telco put
the measures into effect on Monday. (See Telecom Update #478)

** The TWU says it will charge Telus with violating
collective bargaining laws and regulations, for emailing
details of a proposed contract directly to employees. The
union says the email is misleading because it omitted the
"enormous concessions" employees would have to accept
under Telus's offer.

** The union also issued a statement denying Telus's
"outrageous allegation" that some company facilities
have been sabotaged.

TELUS WANTS QUALITY REPORTS REVISED: As we reported in Telecom Update
#474, major telcos must this year give credits to subscribers for
substandard service dating back to 2002. As a result, Telus has now
asked the CRTC to adjust its service quality reports for July-December
2003, to omit the impact of near-simultaneous events that were out of
its control -- forest fires, major flooding, and a serious cable cut
in Vancouver.

OTTAWA OPENS NEW SPECTRUM: Industry Canada has opened new spectrum in
the 5 GHz range, and improved existing frequency bands to meet
increasing demand for broadband wireless.

CRTC REDUCES RFP VALUE: The CRTC has amended its RFP for
legal/economic assistance with the local forbearance proceeding to
indicate that it now expects to pay between $250,000 and $500,000 for
the work, half the original estimate. (See Telecom Update #478)

AT&T NAMES NEW EXEC FOR CANADA: AT&T Corporation has named John
V. Slamecka as Vice-President, AT&T Business Services for Canada, the
Caribbean and the Latin American Region, replacing Penny Shaffer. He
is based in Coral Gables, Florida.

SHIFT PROVIDES VoIP ON SUPERNET: Shift Networks, a Calgary- based
small-business VoIP supplier, and Strategic Information Systems, an IT
supplier to aboriginal communities, have agreed to jointly provide
hosted IP telephone service over Alberta SuperNet.

ROGERS LAUNCHES CORPORATE 'PUSH' EMAIL: Rogers Wireless's new MyMail
service delivers "push" email, calendar, and contacts to business
customers on a range of wireless devices, using the Visto Enterprise
Server.

ENTOURAGE QUEBEC TECHS ACCEPT CONTRACT: Entourage installation and
repair technicians in Quebec have voted to accept a new four-year
contract with their employer, now a subsidiary of Bell Canada. 1,400
Ontario employees remain on strike.

NORTEL TO BUY U.S. GOVERNMENT SUPPLIER: Nortel Networks has agreed to
buy PEC Solutions for US$448 million. Last year PEC, a Virginia-based
integrator that sells mainly to the U.S. government, had a profit of
$16 million on revenue of $203 million.

ALIANT SALES EDGE UP: Aliant reports first-quarter revenues of $524
million, 1.9% up from the same period last year. Local and long
distance revenue fell to 50% of the total from 55%. Wireless sales
rose 15%. Aliant's net income of $43.6 million was down 4.5% from last
year.

ROGERS WIRELESS SALES SOAR: Rogers Wireless revenues reached $875
million in the first quarter, 48% higher than a year ago. Revenues
from the former Microcell made up three-fifths of the gain. Rogers
says that data services will likely account for 10% of wireless
revenues by year-end. Net income: $47 million.

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